1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a detergent composition. More specifically, it relates to a detergent composition suitable for use as, for example, a hair or body shampoo or a garment or dish detergent containing (i) a quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant, (ii) a carboxylate anionic surfactant, and (iii) an amphoteric surfactant and/or (iv) a nonionic surfactant.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, anionic surfactants and amphoteric surfactants are generally incorporated, as a main foaming detergent, into shampoos. But, when only these surfactants are incorporated into shampoos, although a sufficient detergent power for washing the hair can be obtained, the applicability of the shampoos is not satisfactory, especially when a so-called "squeak" phenomenon in the hair is remarkable. Various attempts have been made to solve this "squeak" problem by formulating, for example, cationic polymers or cationic surfactants, whereby conditioning effects affording, for example, a smoothness to the hair, are desired. The use of cationic polymers, however, causes an accumulation thereof on the hair. On the other hand, the amount of cationic surfactants used in shampoos is limited, since cationic surfactants irritate the skin. Accordingly, shampoos having satisfactory conditioning effects have not been obtained, although products having high conditioning effects are needed.